PAMBAYANG DALUBAHASAAN NG MARILAO

Abangan Norte, Marilao, Bulacan

COURSE TITLE: PHILOSOPHY OF MAN

COURSE CREDIT: 3 Units

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course investigates fundamental questions regarding the nature, value, and capacities of the human person and serves also as an introduction to the
discipline and subject matter of philosophy.  Specifically, we will discuss the idea of what it is to be human, what it is to be an individual, and what it is to be the same individual
over time; the phenomenon of human knowing and the nature of mind; the possibility of immortality and the relationship between soul or mind and body; the opposition
between freedom and determinism; and the significance of the social dimension of human existence.  Throughout the course, students will cultivate their critical reading,
writing, and thinking skills, and they will establish a basis for discerning the ethical significance of these foundational questions concerning knowledge, existence, and human
nature.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. At the end of the course, the students are able to/are expected to:
2. Awaken within the students a sense of philosophical wonder.
3. Develop an awareness of the need for critical and reflective thinking.
4. Helps students gain a deeper understanding of themselves as individual human persons and as members of the society.

COURSE OUTLINE:

Week Topics Themes:

Week 1 An Invitation to Philosophy 1.Who am I? Man an integral part of nature, cultural
1.1     Defining philosophy product, or a free agent?
1.2     Branches of philosophy 2.Why do I make mistakes? Truth, naïve certainty, and
scientific certainty.
Week 2 1.3     Roots of philosophy 3.What do I know? Knowledge of the senses and
1.4     Methods of philosophizing knowledge of the intellect.

Week 3 THE SELF 

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 2.1     Man as a rational being
2.2     Cartesian mind and body dualism
2.3     Man as subjectivity
Week 4 FREEDOM Methodologies /Activities:
3.1     Gabriel Marcel’s concept of freedom Lecture/Quiz Lecture/Discourse/Quiz
3.2     Freedom in Sartre’s existentialism Lecture/Discourse/Quiz

Week 5 3.3     Deliberation and choice - Aristotle

3.4     Free will as the cause of Evil – Augustine
Week 6
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION
Week 7 Existentialism and Man’s search for meaning (Manuel Dy, Jr)
Themes:
Week 8 MAN AND HIS CONDITITION 1.Why do I exist? Do I have the right to be free, and be
The Philosophy of Human labor (Karl Marx & Karol Wojtyla) happy? The meaning of life.
2. What are my responsibilities? Good and Evil. Values
Week 9 MAN AND HIS QUEST FOR MEANING
Man’s Search for Meaning (Viktor Frankl)
Having and Being (Erich Fromm)
Week 10 ETHICS AND MORALITY Methodologies /Activities:
4.1     Evil as forgetfulness - Plato
Week 11 4.2     Virtue as the golden mean - Aristotle Lecture/Quiz Lecture/Discourse/Quiz
Lecture/Reflection papers/ Debates
Week 12
MIDTERM EXAMINATION
Week 13 4.3     The Categorical Imperative - Kant Themes:
4.4     Master morality vs. Slave morality - Nietzsche
Week 14 JUSTICE 1.Material condition of our life: work, ownership,
5.1     Utilitarian concept of justice alienation.
5.2     Categorical concept of justice 2.Why do we strive for power? Equality and justice.
Week 15 5.3     Value of Human Life 3.Who am I responsible to? Others? Society? God?
5.4     Justice as fairness (Rawls)

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 Week 16 MAN AND GOD
4.1     Philosophy of Religion: Basic Concepts
4.2     Attributes of God
4.3 Arguments for God’s Existence
Week 17 Man’s nature is Good (Mencius) Methodologies /Activities:
Man’s Nature is Evil (Hsun-Tsu) Lecture/Quiz Lecture/Discourse/Quiz Lecture/Reflection
papers/ Debates

Week 18
FINAL EXAMINATION

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Six Quizzes: two quizzes before each major exam
2. Major exams: Prelim, Midterm, and Final Exam
3. Group and Individual Report
4. Personal Philosophy of Life
5. Readings and Assignments

GRADING SYSTEM:
Weight distribution for Periodical Grade
Periodic Examination 40%
Quizzes 30%
*Class Standing 20% *Report and Behavior
Attendance 10%
TOTAL 100%
Weight distribution for Final Grade:
PG: 30%
MG: 30%
FG: 40%
Total: 100%
REFERENCES:

1. Hallman, M. 2005. Expanding Philosophical Horizons. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company

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 2. Honer, S 1998. Invitation to Philosophy, 7TH Edition. . Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company
3. Ibana, R. 2001. A Laurer Reader: The Ateneo Collection. Q.C.: Office of Research and Publications, Ateneo de Manila University.
4. Our Lady of Fatima. 2007. Philosophy of Man. Q.C.: Fatima Medical Science Inc.

Other References:
http://www.encarta.msn.com/find/conscise
http://www.ephilosopher.com
http://www.epistemelinks.com
http://www.goreason.com
http://www.hippias.Evansville.edu/

Prepared by: Noted by:

Mr. Romeo M. Teope Jr. Ms. Severina DC Ortal
Head, Social Science/ NSTP Department

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